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Bolivian Judge admits to coca leaf divination to aid judgements

A Bolivian judge has rejected calls to resign after he admitted “reading” coca leaves to help him make decisions.

Judge Gualberto Cusi – who is from the indigenous Aymara community – said he used the traditional divination technique to help guide his judgement.

But he said he did not let it dictate sentencing.

In an interview on Bolivian television, he admitted “consulting” coca leaves when faced with difficult judicial decisions.

Judge Cusi later sought to clarify his comments, indicating that he relied on coca for spiritual guidance but did not let it determine the outcome of cases.

“In moments when decisions must be taken, we turn to coca to guide us and show us the way,” he explained.

He added that coca helped him communicate with “plants, animals, mountains and rivers”.

Tip: Fortean Times

Obvious question… why does he need to communicate with plants, animals, mountains and rivers to decide a case? This is a bit kooky and inappropriate. Since when do you need spiritual guidance for a court case that ought to be based on evidence and testimony. Something seems VERY wrong there. How would this go over in the U.S.? Oh, wait… we’ve had Presidents who consulted astrologers, the Bible, who knows what else. Is that similar? Do we judge people on how they achieve a decision in their own mind? Magic 8 ball says “Reply hazy, try again”.